Operating means for reciprocatory elements.



P.1. DREHER.

OPERATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATORY ELEMENTS. APPLICATION FILED SEPTJI. I916- Patented July 17, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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P. .I. DREHER.

' OPERATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATORY ELEMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I 1, I916.

Patented July 17, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M I Ill/r1 1N VEN THE PHILLIP JACQB DREHER, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

OPERATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATORY ELEMENTS.

Application filed September 11, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHlLLIP JAooB DRE- HER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Operating Means for Reciprocatory Elements; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent'on, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates particularly to pneumatically operated instruments, such for instance, as piano-players, organs, orchestrions, or the like, and particularly to combination foot and power operated means for working the air pumps thereof.

The object of my invention is the provision of improved means for use in connection with instruments of the class described and operable both mechanically and manually to drive the air pumps thereof.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front elevation of a mechanism embodying my invention with the foot pedals removed and with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a section thereof on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of said mechanism with parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the power transmis sion mechanism with the case cover removed, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof with the case in longitudinal section.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the case of an instrument with which the invention is associated, and 2, 2 the pneumatic pumps or bellows thereof which are customarily arranged within the case in spaced relation lengthwise thereof. Each of the pumps or bellows 2, 2, two of which are provided in the present instance, is disposed in upright position within the case and has the stationary front side 2 and the movable rear side 2 hinged together at their upper ends, as is well understood in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1917. Serial No. 119,535.

the art. A forked spring 3 connects the front and rear sides of each bellows and acts to normally retain the bellows in closed form, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower or free end of the movable side 2 of each bellows is connected to a respective foot pedal 4: through a pair of links 5, 6, which are pivotally connected together at their inner ends, with the link 5 pivoted at its rear end to the lower end of the movable bellows side 2 and with the link 6 pivoted at its outer end to the respective pedal 4:. The links 5, 6 are supported at their point of connection by a rod 7, which pivotally depends from the stationary front side 2 of the bellows at a point above its lower end, as, for instance, from a block 8 secured to said side. The rod 7 prevents a collapsing or doubling-up of the links 5 and 6 when the pedal is depressed and causes the pressure applied to the foot pedal to be communicated through said links to the movable'side 2 of the bellows to open the same against the tension of the spring 3.

The pedals l, 4 are pivotally supported at their outer ends by a block 9 and this block is swinglngly' connected at its ends to the interior of the case by rods 10, which guide the upward and inward swinging movements of the block 9 and foot pedals when it is desired to place the same in folded position within the case. Nothing new is claimed for the bellows operating means above described, as it is a form commonly used in foot operated instruments of the class described. 1

In order to render the bellows capable of being operated by mechanical means I mount a shaft 11 in bearings 12, 12 between the bellows 2, 2 and provide a crank-wheel 13, 13 on each end of said shaft to turn therewith. Each crank-wheel 13 has a crank-pin thereon pivotally connected by a link 14 to the lower end of the adjacent rod 7, which rod forms the pivotal connection between the links 5 and pair. It is thus evident that a turning of the crank-wheel will imparta backward and forward movement to the respective links 5 through the associated foot pedal 4 and link 6, the throw of the crank-pin on the wheel 13 being the same as the throw of the foot pedal when operated. Inasmuch as the two bellows of the set are intended to be alter- 6 of the associated 30 intoengagement with the'gear 18, thereby nately' operated, the crank-pin of one wheel 13 is set at the" opposite side of its axis to the crank-pin of the other wheel, as shown 7 15 on a shaft 16, which shaft is suitably mounted in a gear-case 17 and proj ects' without one end of said case. A gear 18 is loosely mounted on the shaft 16 within the case 17 and has driving connection through atrain of gear's in the case with a drive-shaft 19', said gear train being such that the speed ofdriving; of the gear 18 is verymaterially reduced from the speed of driving of the shaft 19, which is connected to a motor or other suitable driving means. clutch collar 20 is feathered for axial movements on the shaft 16 and is shiftable into and out of clutch engagement with the gear 18 by the movement of a control lever 21 ,wwhich projects without the case land .is connected at its inner' end to the clutch eoll'ar through themedium ofa shift-bar 22, that isyieldingly carried by'the case 17 at the outerxsidethereof and has one end projecting transversely within the case and forked to' embrace the collar 20;

When: it is desired to operate the bellows mechanically, the" clutch collar 20' is-thrown communicating. rotation to the shaft 16 and? from it to the shaft 11 through the medium ofthe gears 15 and" 18'. As the shaft 11 rotates the bellows are alternately operated topump air by reason of theconnection'. of the offset cranks'of the two wheels13;' 13fwith the operatinglinks 5, 6. It is evident that the mechanical driving ofthe pumps in this manner may be effected I when the foot pedals 4, 1 are either in folded. or unfolded positions" with respect to .the' case. If it is desired to manually operate the pumps, the clutch collar 20 isdisengaged from the gear 18. thereby permitting the shaft 11' and crank-Wheels 13,

= 13 to have semi-circular reciprocatory movementsas the respective lmksl l are'moved back-Ward and forward upon an. operating ofthe; respective foot-pedals. g

It isevident that'I-f have provided a simple mechanism for attaching to foot operated air pumps without necessitating a: disconnecting of the customary foot operating means and-that either said mechanism; or the i605 ating means may be opera as 3 desired to drive the air pumpsand also that the air pumps are; capable of being operated by the mechanical means when co ies was pateiit may be obtained far the: foot pedals are in folded or unfolded positions.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited toany specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, except in so far as such: limitations are specified in the claims.

H avingathus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters, Patent, is-

1. The combination with areciprocably movable element, of a, foot pedal, a pair of links pivotally connected together and respectively connected at their outer ends in a pivotal manner to thepedal and element whereby movements are imparted to the element fromre ci-procatory movements of said pedal, means swingingly' supporting the inner ends of said links to prevent a collapsing thereof; a, crank, manuallfy' controlled means for driving the crank, and a link connectingsaid crank andone of said 'first links and operable to communicate movement to the element from a turning of the crank.

2. The combination with a pair of spaced movable elements, ofa pair of foot pedals mounted for folding" or unfolding movements with respect tothe elements, aipair of links connecting each pedal to a respective' element and operable by movements of the pedal to impart movements to the element, and manually controlled mechanically driven means connected to said. links and operable to impart alternate reciprocatoiy movements tosaid elements;

3. The combination with a pair of reciprocatory elements normally" standing in on position, of a pair of footpedal's one for each element, link connection between each pedal and its element to" communicate movements to the element" from reciprocatory movements of the pedal and adapted to permit folding and unfolding movements of thGlJBdiLlS' with respect to the elements, a shaft: mounted between said elements, a pair of cranks-carriedby saidvshaft one ad.- jacent to eaehel'ement with one crank at the opposite; side of'theshaft to the v other crank, a' link for each crank connecting it to the respectiveofi rst. mentioned links and operable by aturning of the shaft to impart alternate reciprocatory movements to said elements, and manually controlled means for driving? said shaft. v

In testimony whereofll have hereunto signed my name tothis specification.

five cents each, b y; addressing tlte fffibmmissitner cf 'ittntsy Washington, 1), c3" 7 

